Cycle Time Reduction: Concepts and Case Studies

Abstract

Increasingly organizations compete based on time. As a result, cycle-time reduction is a key agenda for organizations interested in achieving increased customer service and reduced cost. With improved cycle time, organizations can often eliminate or reduce inventory while expanding customer service offerings. The purpose of this tutorial is to present the fundamental concepts of cycle time reduction and to show how IS can be used to reduce cycle time, increase customer service, and reduce costs significantly. The tutorial examines several organizations that used IS as a way to leverage cycle time for competitive advantage.